The Sovereignty of God in Election & Restoration, Part 3: Faith Always necessary, whether Jew or Gentile:

Previous studies covered Romans 9:1 – 29, which begins with the Apostle Paul writing that he could wish himself accursed from Christ for his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh, Romans 9:1 – 3: “Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.” Romans 9:4 – 5. The last phrase here reminds us: our Lord Jesus Christ was born a Jew, Matthew 1:1; He came exclusively to Israel, Matthew 15:24; He lived in total compliance with the Law of Moses, Matthew 5:17 – 18; the Jewish blood He shed on the cross was applied to the Mercy Seat in the Heavenlies for our eternal redemption, Hebrews 9:11 – 12. All who persecute Jews are fools, especially if they do so because Jews crucified Christ. An express purpose for Christ’s coming was to die for mankind, Matthew 26:39; Luke 24:44 – 47; Hebrews 2:9 – 15. If Jews hadn’t demanded His crucifixion, He would not have died for our sins, which is the only way to salvation for all mankind. He Himself prayed His Father would forgive them because they did not know what they were doing, Luke 23:34.

God ordained Israel to be the leading nation on earth, and they will be. Someday in the future, after the Apostle Paul, along with all those of us who have believed the Gospel of Grace the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to him, Romans 16:25 and Ephesians 3:1 – 6, are caught up to heaven, 1 Thessalonians 4:13 – 18, a 7-year Great Tribulation will occur on earth, Matthew 24:15 – 22. After which The Lord Jesus Christ will return from Heaven to Jerusalem and rule all nations with a rod of iron as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Revelation 2:26 – 27; Revelation 19:15 – 16. His will be the only fair and equitable government this earth will have ever experienced. Christ’s Jewish Apostles will sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 Tribes of Israel, Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:29 – 30. Israel will be a Nation of Priests ministering to the entire world, just as God revealed to Moses thousands of years ago, Exodus 19:6. Israel hasn’t come close to fulfilling its destiny for over 3000 years. Even today Israel is a secular state occupying a small portion of the land God promised them, while many Jews live in countries throughout the world. The 9^th, 10^th and 11^th chapters of Romans discloses why this state of affairs exists, i.e., God is sovereign in election (choosing) and restoration. God chose Israel but, “… they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:” Romans 9:6b, and as Isaiah and Hosea prophesied as to restoration: “… Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:” Romans 9:27b; quoted from Isaiah 10:22; Hosea 1:10.

In Romans 9:30 through Romans 10:21 we find the distinctive, indisputable and necessary role faith plays in salvation for Jews as well as Gentiles. The word “faith” occurs 5 times in this section; five being the number for grace in Scripture. We last encountered it in Romans 5:1 -2: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Now we find:

• “What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. “Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;” Romans 9:30 – 32.

The “Law of Righteousness” refers to the fact that the Law God gave Moses proclaims everything God requires for anyone to be righteous before him. Prior to the Apostle Paul, Gentiles did not follow after (or pursue) righteousness as they were never under the Law (there were a few exceptions when Gentiles became proselytes to the Jewish religion). But after the cross and the revelation to the Apostle Paul, the ability to attain righteousness without the law was open to everyone: “But now (at the time this was revealed to Paul) the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:” Romans 3:21 – 22; and “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision (Jews) by faith, and uncircumcision (Gentiles) through faith.” Romans 3:28 – 30.

God gave Israel the Law through Moses, but their problem was that most of them went about to establish their righteousness by their own effort or work. Most did not recognize the Law was given to demonstrate they were sinners in need of a Savior. The impossibility for anyone to keep the Law should have been obvious as evidenced by their having to constantly bring sacrifices to atone for their sins, year in and year out: “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices, there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.” Hebrews 10:1 – 3. The Law was given to show mankind’s need for a Savior; a schoolmaster to bring us to Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:23 – 25. The Jews, like all mankind, were born sinners from Adam so they followed the Law self-righteously, outwardly adhering to its religious rites, thus never obtaining Godly righteousness. And why? Because most lacked faith, which God requires; “… they stumbled at that stumblingstone.” Romans 9:30 – 32: “As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 9:33, quoted from Isaiah 8:14.

(Many Gentiles today go about trying to establish their righteousness before God by their works according to some religion or denomination, i.e., church membership, tithing, teaching, preaching, baptism of some form, feeding the poor or any number of other “good works,” but unfortunately they lack faith and so do not attain unto the righteousness of God.)

Paul states his heart’s desire and prayer to God was for Israel to be saved, recognizing their zeal for God, but their knowledge was not correct. They were ignorant of God’s righteousness (that being by faith in His Word), they believed in themselves and not in God so went about to establish their own righteousness, not submitting themselves (to obey or be subject) to the righteousness of God. Romans 10:1 – 3. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.” Romans 10:4 – 5, quoting Moses: “Ye (Israel) shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.” Leviticus 18:4 – 5. Of course, there were some individual Jews who truly believed God and followed the Law by faith and so were saved.

• “But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;” Romans 10:6 – 8.

Here is the figure of speech “Personification,” where an inanimate object speaks; in this case it is the “righteousness of faith” that speaks. It teaches us not to go about by our own religious works to ascend into heaven to bring Christ down to our level or to descend into the deep to bring Him up from the dead. There is nothing we can do in our power to obtain the righteousness of God. Our only way to obtain His righteousness for our salvation is believe His Word, which is that we are lost sinners and Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again, 1 Corinthians 15:1 – 4. (In the 30^th chapter of Deuteronomy Moses wrote what was required of Israel to please God and how they will ultimately be reconciled; Romans 10:6 – 8 alludes to Deuteronomy 30:11 – 14.)

We will continue from Romans 10:8 in our next study, which will cover one of the keys verses in the Bible: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17.